|
It took a Village to host this holiday party for Overtown Youngsters
Key Biscayne Police Chief Charles Press and wife Eileen Press joined forces to coordinate a holiday party at the Community Center - complete with Santa Claus, food and gifts - for 100 underprivileged youth, ranging in age from not even 2 to 17, from the tough streets of Overtown. Meanwhile, countless local businesses, residents and employees also chipped in to help them spread the Christmas cheer. "It was an amazing success story," Chief Press said. "These are kids who have seen life close up. It is an amazing feeling to provide them with a few hours out of their world and in this fantasy land." Indeed, Eileen Press said, the excited, grateful reaction from the children and teens made all the work that went into the event worthwhile. "The event was just spectacular," she said. "The response we got from the kids was very happy, very grateful, very appreciative of the whole thing." She hopes the party, held from 5-9 p.m. Friday, December 21, is "a stepping stone to the year ahead." Indeed, the Key Biscayne Police Holiday Fund that was set up through the Key Biscayne Community Foundation to pay for the event will continue accepting donations throughout 2008, and the Presses will use the money to give more kids school supplies, Thanksgiving meals and a Christmas celebration. Donations are tax deductible. Checks can be made to the Community Foundation, targeted to the Key Biscayne Police Holiday Fund, and dropped off to Chief Press's attention at the police station. While the hard work is ongoing for the Presses, they're also looking back happily at this year's effort. After collecting donations for weeks (see below for a list of donors), the Presses and new Foundation Director Ximena Antunez de Mayolo met bright and early at the Hialeah Wal-Mart Supercenter to buy age-appropriate gifts, working off a list of kids provided by area activists Henry and Saliha Crespo. They loaded up on CD players, trucks, toy computers, etc. - the key was to look for nonviolent, educational items, Chief Press said - and received a pleasant surprise at the checkout line when on top of their tax-exempt status, they were given another 10 percent off by generous WalMart managers. Then, it was back to the Key, were organizers were met with more generosity. The Presses said Key Biscayne Parks and Recreation Director Todd Hofferberth and his staff did an excellent job setting up a room at the Community Center for the party, while several local businesses came through with donated food - Subway and Domino's Pizza instantly agreed to provide sandwiches and pizzas, while The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne sent over trays of hand-baked Christmas cookies. Photographer Jorge Torres more or less donated his services; and Reverend Bud Schroeder from the Key Biscayne Community Church, a Police Department chaplain, volunteered to give an invoca~ tion and just hang out with the kids. Village Manager Chip Iglesias was also on hand. Meanwhile, several police officers gave of their own time to help at the party, and the Fire-Rescue Department delivered Santa (Police Lieutenant Ben Torres) on a Key Biscayne fire truck. As could be expected, Santa's arrival - complete with a siren and flashing lights - was a big hit. Chief Press noted one l6-year-old girl was shy but thrilled about having her picture taken with Kris Kringle, because she'd never done it before; and Eileen Press added, "It was absolutely amazing to see the faces of these little kids when they saw Santa Claus get off that fire truck." Elsewhere, Rhonda Fuchs conducted a karate demonstration featuring kids from her school, and even stayed as late as needed despite plans to honor the Jewish Sabbath; Judy Koslen was swamped after setting up a jewelry-making table for older kids; and Rita De Armas, a friend of Eileen Press, and her daughter Anais made 100 stockings, stuffed with candy and toys, for Santa to give to the kids. On top of that, the Presses said, they enjoyed continuing support from the Chamber of Commerce and Foundation, especially board member Anne Rothe. "She pushed really hard for this," Eileen Press said. "It's really something where the entire community has stepped up," concluded Chief Press. The kids deserved that effort, he noted. The Chief said the kids who attended the party were invited based on good grades or some other achievement: "These are kids who had to prove themselves just to get in the door. They earned this opportunity; we wanted to make the reward |
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and late last year it took the Village of Key Biscayne to give 100 of them a very Merry Christmas.